Final answer:
Vietnamization was Richard Nixon's policy of reducing American troop presence in Vietnam while transferring combat roles to the South Vietnamese, combined with increased aerial bombings, to ultimately pull out of the war while maintaining U.S. honor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The policy of Vietnamization was a strategy put forward by President Richard Nixon during the Vietnam War. The correct answer to the student's question is OB. The policy of de-escalating the U.S. military presence in Vietnam, while transitioning control of the country to the South Vietnamese. This strategy entailed a dual approach of withdrawing U.S. ground troops and increasing aerial attacks, with the aim of empowering the South Vietnamese army to take more responsibility for the war via U.S. military aid. The overall goal was to enable the South Vietnamese to eventually defeat the North Vietnamese, thereby allowing the U.S. to withdraw 'with honor' without the appearance of having been defeated. Nixon's hope was that a fortified South Vietnamese force would be able to maintain their government and hold off the advances of the North.
Amidst the ongoing stalemate, under mounting political pressure and a growing antiwar movement at home, Nixon aimed to end U.S. involvement while avoiding the impression that America had been beaten. This involved strategic bombings of neighboring countries, like Cambodia, to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines and bases, despite the fact these actions provoked outrage and sometimes violent antiwar demonstrations back in the United States, such as the tragic event at Kent State University. Nevertheless, this complex and somewhat paradoxical strategy of cutting back U.S. ground forces while escalating bombing campaigns was intended to maintain U.S. dignity and strengthen the South Vietnamese position.
In summary, Vietnamization was Nixon's strategy to end direct American military involvement in Vietnam, transitioning the fighting capacity to the South Vietnamese, thereby hoping to achieve what Nixon termed as 'peace with honor.' Although the United States succeeded in withdrawing its troops by 1973, South Vietnam eventually succumbed to the North in 1975.